Shaking the Rust Off a CFI Ticket

It's that returning to the right seat state of mind.

Meg Godlewski

Monday, February 03, 2025 at 09:16 AM ET

Verified

There is a lot to consider when a person returns to the CFI world. [Courtesy: Meg Godlewski]

Key Takeaways:

Returning CFIs must update their knowledge on administrative changes, including using the term "learner," new TSA endorsement requirements, and the separate, plastic student pilot certificate process.
Modern aircraft technology, such as glass cockpits, advanced GPS navigation, ADS-B systems, and autopilots in trainers, requires instructors to adapt their teaching methods and familiarize themselves with these systems.
While embracing digital tools like electronic flight bags, instructors should still emphasize traditional navigation skills with paper charts and maintain their own instrument flight proficiency for comprehensive and safe training.

See a mistake? Contact us.

The nice thing about the flying hours logged in aviation is that they don’t expire. Those hours on your logbook don’t magically disappear if you decide to hang up your wings for a bit—even if they are instructor wings and one day you decide to get back into the cockpit on the right side and teach again.

It will take time, however. It has been my privilege to help lapsed CFIs regain their skills and add some new ones, thus enabling them to teach again.